The crowd's roar was deafening, but it wasn't louder than our hearts, pounding in perfect synchronisation. Rye's hand came up around the back of my neck, holding me closer to him, telling me he was just as happy, just as proud to be here, lips locked with mine for all to see. As we melted together under the hot beams of stage lights, and the many more pin pricks of cellphone lights, I knew we were truly, finally, out of the darkness.
When we finally escaped, breathless, to face the world again, the sensations were overwhelming. The dazzling lights blinded me to the faces of the crowd, their presence only proven by the ringing in my ears from the loudest screams I'd ever heard.
I looked to Rye whose hand still gripped mine. As I squeezed it, he turned his chocolate brown eyes to me, a euphoric smile glowing on his face. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.
Not really knowing how we got off stage, I was suddenly in a ruck, the boys hugging me from all sides. It was one of those sweaty, messy, perfectly exhilarating moments.
As we parted I found myself pulled in again by Brooklyn, who planted a sloppy kiss against my cheek. When I swivelled to face him I saw tears in his eyes.
"It's okay, Brooky," I laughed slightly deliriously.
"I know. I'm so proud of you, mate!" Brook exclaimed, voice cracking some at the end. I squeezed his arm affectionately before he was pulled away by an enthusiastic Mikey.
Still buzzing, I felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around me from behind. I relaxed instantly into his hold, tilting my head back so he could kiss me- for the first time ever, not having to think about who might be around to see.
"Ugh! CUTE!" Brook groaned.
"You two are so fucking hot!" Jack exclaimed, slapping his thigh for emphasis.
"Keep it in your pants, boys." Rye admonished. I laughed as both their faces turned a shade of scarlet. I winked at Brook, seeing his mouth pop open a little.
"Where we going now?" Mikey came up and addressed us, slinging Brook and Jack under each of his arms.
"We better be partying!" Jack demanded.
"YEAH!" Brook bellowed, beginning to bang his head to the background pop tune like it was a Metallica song. I laughed as Jack and Mikey joined in, dancing like crazy idiots together.
"I actually have an invitation," Rye said, showing me a text on his phone, looking at me apprehensively for approval.
"Why not?" I shrugged, pecking his cheek as Rye smiled in relief.
"Let's go boys!" Rye announced, leading the way out of the venue. We made our way to the van in a single file line, hands all linked as we pushed carefully through the waiting crowd. Rye and I barely had time to mutter a string of 'thank you's to the roadies yelling their support before we were piled into the van, the night ahead calling to us.
***
It didn't take too many drinks before we were dancing, close up against each other, seemingly boundless energy radiating from all five of us. The hypnotic beats and the feeling of Rye's body behind me gave me the urge to turn around and take him, all my senses heightened by the atmosphere. But we had to check in with our host first.
I caught Rye's eye and communicated this to him through eye contact. He nodded, scanning the room first then taking me by the hand and pulling me out of our circle. When we reached the back of a girl with a dark mane of hair, Rye tapped her on the shoulder and she spun around, face lighting up when she saw us.
"Rye! Andy! You came!" she greeted enthusiastically.
"Hey Kylie," I smiled, lightly hugging her.
"Look at you guys," she breathed in awe, referring to Rye's arm firmly around my waist, "I'm so happy you made it to this point."
"Yeah, who'd have thought?" Rye grinned sheepishly.
"I know, right?" Kylie agreed, reddening slightly, "Hey, you guys should meet someone. Sunny, these are my friends, Rye and Andy."
A pretty curly-haired girl with a nose ring turned around and shook each of our hands, throwing an arm around Kylie.
"Nice to meet you two," Sunny said pleasantly, a knowing glint in her eyes.
"Hey Kylie," I began, needing to get one final thing off my chest, "I just wanted to apologise for the last time... I didn't know what was going on and I jumped to some conclusions-"
"Andy, it's fine," she cut me off, "believe me, all of it's fine. It really all worked out for the better."
"Yeah, I believe I have you two to thank," Sunny added, squeezing Kylie's waist and kissing her on the cheek. The two of them laughed as Rye and I's eyes both widened slightly.
"Think you're the only one who can pull that move, Beaumont?" Kylie teased, thrusting us back out towards the throng of the party.
We found the boys again and resumed our high spirited dancing. As the night wore on, the vibe mellowed until I was perfectly entranced by the feeling of the beat guiding me and hands all over me.
A pair of lips were on my neck, causing me to sigh and catch my lip in my teeth. The body attached to the lips pushed up against me, unmistakably Rye, and I tugged him in closer, the feeling of him against me ratcheting up the already heightened sensations I was experiencing. We found each other in a desperate, passionate kiss.
All those parties, all those hook ups, and finally now, he was the one I was with. His arms around me, his lips hungrily moving against mine, his arousal pressed into me. Through twists and turns that had left us lost, and over steep inclines I have never thought I could summit, we had found our way to each other.
Fuck, he tasted so good.
***
Home. Somehow, we made it, the five of us collapsing in a heap onto the living room floor. A few final tipsy giggles escaped us as the day finally caught up with our tired bodies. I snuggled up to my friends, feeling someone's hand stroking my hair and another arm laid across my stomach.
This was my family, no matter where life took each of us, we had a bond that would never break.
"I love you boys," Brook stated cheesily, causing me to notice he was the one to my side with an arm over me. From my other side I saw Rye lean over and ruffle Brook's hair.
"We love you too, you little nutter," Rye said affectionately.
I looked at Brook's content little smiling face, cooing internally when I saw Jack's arm snake around behind him and pull him closer, placing a soft kiss on the back of his neck. A bold look in his eye, Brook turned away from me and started kissing Jack sweetly. Jack froze at first but then gave in, cupping Brook's face in his hand and relaxing lazily into the kiss.
"Wahey!" Rye remarked teasingly, leaning into me as I smiled, beaming with pride.
"Aw," Mikey hummed from behind us, "wait... I really am the lone wolf. No- don't you two start as well!" he pried my face away from Rye's causing me to whine and then laugh.
I noticed the Jacklyn kiss was getting more heated, Brook now on top of Jack with his tongue exploring his mouth, so I nudged him encouragingly with my foot.
"Bed maybe?" I suggested fondly. They broke apart, blushing wildly.
"Good idea, let's go Brook," Jack agreed, rushing out of the room with the small blond in tow.
"Night guys," Brook threw over his shoulder.
We were left alone with Mikey, who had made his way to the kitchen and begun rifling through the freezer in search of a late night fix.
"Is this weird for you?" Rye addressed him timorously.
"Yes!" Mikey exclaimed, his hands landing on a steak. He shook his head at us as he enthusiastically unpacked the meat into a pan. "Actually, not weird at all, that's the weird part."
I piped in, "I don't want you to feel left out, Mike. Feel free to call us out if we get too-"
"Horny." Rye filled in for me at the same time as I said 'lovey-dovey'. I rolled my eyes.
"Don't you worry, mate," Mikey said, licking his lips as the steak began to sizzle in his pan, "I have everything I need right here."
***
I crawled into bed with Rye, phone in my hand, barely able to keep my eyes open. Rye snatched it away from me as I yawned wide.
"That's enough, baby. It'll be there in the morning." Rye chided, confiscating my phone to the charger on his side of the bed.
"So many nice messages," I mumbled, nuzzling into him.
"I know," he whispered, stroking my hair, "it's crazy how I just get to love you now."
"What is life?" I sighed, my eyes heavy against his warm chest. "Everything happened so quickly...but took so long at the same time." I noted, thinking about how really, we had been building up to this for far longer than I'd ever acknowledged.
When I first met him- I'd thought he was so obnoxious yet felt compelled to give him a chance. His sweet side shone through, the side I saw so often now and loved endlessly, and within two weeks of knowing him I just knew we were going to build something amazing together.
How our friendship had always been so romantic, catching the notice of the fans and creating the phenomenon that was 'Randy'. How we'd latched onto that because their enjoyment of it was such an easy to excuse to be close to each other, to cuddle and kiss without needing a real reason.
All of those early kisses- so innocent and playful, yet getting increasingly bolder as time went on. How every time one had happened a small part of me had wished it never had to end.
How we were drawn together when we were aroused. Whether it was meeting eyes across the bunk beds in the dead of night, or hooking up with someone at a party. Sharing that state with him was the closest thing to having sex with him I could experience at the time. Without acknowledging my sexuality, without saying it aloud in my brain, I wanted him even then.
One time I told him he was my soulmate in an early video- even meaning it in a platonic way in the moment- I had believed it wholeheartedly. He was my rock, my duet partner, my best friend, and I couldn't picture my life without him. It was crazy, in hindsight, how quickly he'd become an essential part of my being; as necessary to my survival as food or water or air.
It didn't matter what anyone said. None of the counterpoints or obstacles to us being together were valid. Me and Rye made sense. We made more sense than anything else in my life. If anything, it had taken us far too long to notice it.
"Rye?" I said softly, forcing my eyes open to look up at him.
"Yes baby?"
"Will you tell me about how you knew for so long?"
"Knew what?" Rye asked, looking down at me lovingly.
"That we weren't just friends. That it was something more..." I specified, getting lost in his deep brown gaze.
Rye smiled. "Yeah babe. But not right now- you're about to pass out. You need sleep."
I snuggled into him sleepily. "Okay."
"Night, baby," he whispered fondly, kissing my forehead. I felt his arms wrap around me.
"Night, Rye. I love you."
"Love you too, Fovvs."
A/N: That's it. That's the final chapter. This is the end of Andy's story and I'm eMoTIoNAl 😂
A few tings:
1. Stay tuned! An epilogue is still to come.
2. Congrats to Sonny! Very happy for him making it in the band so I had to give him a weird little shout out in this. Of course, this book began with Mikey (my love) and will end with him a part of it. All the same, my heart is somewhat healed and I'm ready for the band to go out and smash it with Sonny x
3. THANK YOU! I began this book a fresh newbie to this site getting like 2 reads per chapter and to now have 7k reads as I post the final chapter is more than I could have hoped for. I hope this thing keeps growing after I finish and follow me for more content!
A more comprehensive A/N will happen after the book is completely done. For now, ✌🏻 and ❤️